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COPYRIGHT DEPOSrr. 



GETTYSBURG 



MABEL CRONISE JONES 




SYRACUSE, N. Y. 
C. W. BARDEEN, PUBLISHER 

1902 



THE LiBRAFfY OF 

CONGRESS, 
Two Copttis Recciveo 

OCT. ^1^^1902 

CopmtoHT wnrr 

C«,AS8 O^XXo. No. 

COPY B. 



TS3-r 



/--. ) 



Copyright, 1903, by Mabel Cronise Jones 






Dedicated to the children of our pubhc schools, 
where it is hoped these verses may be found 
fitting as supplementary reading in the higher 
grades. 



(5) 



CONTENTS 

Prologue 9 

The First Day 17 

The Second Day 25 

The Third Day 33 

Epilogue 47 



(7 



GETTYSBURG 



Prologue 

War is the guerdon of wrong; the guerdon of 

greed or injustice ; 
Man through ambition or lust may sin against 

God — the Eternal, 
Blood must repay all that wrong, — all the crime 

of the sons or the fathers ! 
Heaven exacteth the debt, and payment must 

swiftly be rendered ; 
Sin is atoned for through tears; through the 

anguish of men and of women ! 
Man cannot trample on man without a sure 

retribution. 
Avarice, pride and greed shall gather a harvest 

of sorrow, — 
God taketh care of his own — the reaping shall 

be as the sowing ! 

Up from the dust cried the blood — the life- 
blood of slaves lashed and fettered ! 

Forth from their graves came the ghosts, — the 
ghosts of a race foully tortured ; 
(9) 



10 GETTYSBURG 

Womanhood basely betrayed, shrieked loudly to 

Freedom's defenders, 
Mothers bereft of their young, held out their 

hands in dumb anguish, 
Manhood dragged down and defiled, like the 

Phoenix, — sprang up from its ashes! 
Eedly the soil of the south flamed out, like a 

beacon portentous. 
Gleaming like fire, with the African blood that 

had moistened its grass- blades! 
Liberty bowed low her head — the tears stream- 
ing down on her raiment, 
Stained and fettered and wan, she yearned to 

rescue her children. 
Quick to her call leaped the heroes,— kneehng 

they kissed her garments! 
Hot glowed their breath, — a purpose Divine their 

bosoms was swelling ; 
Man for his brother would die, — for his brother 

enchained and fettered, — 
Die for his brother sold in the marts like a beast, 

— damb and soulless! 
Manhood sprang swift to the summons, — the 

Northland was teeming with fervor. 
Liberty's tears baptized them, —christened anew 

each soldier; 
Youth became old in a night at the thought of 

the Nation's peril; 



PROLOGUE 11 

Peril from those that she loved, from the sons 
of her faithful affection. 



Loud and fierce roared the cannon, — hke temp- 
ests shaking earth's pillars. 

Roaring the scorn of the Nation for traitors 
false to their country, 

Roaring the will of the North, that the slave 
should be freed from his bondage, — 

Freed from the tyrannous yoke, which the lust 
for gain had forged on him ! 

Deadly and long waged the conflict, the North 
grew faint and despondent, 

Wrong was triumphant o'er Right, — disaster 
followed disaster. 



Trembled the life of the Nation, — patriots paused 
and turned fearful. 

Patriots conned their defeats, grew pale and 
glanced upwards to Heaven. 

Faltered their faith for a moment, — they prayed 
in despairing anguish, 

'' God of our fathers. All-powerful, listen to our 
petition ! 

Turn the tide of dread War in our favor ; rebuke 
Thine aggressors. 

Hear the voices of slaves, fast hunted by blood- 
hounds and masters, 



12 GETTYSBURG 

Hear the cry of the children, torn from the arms 

of their parents, 
Hear the moans of the weak and defenseless,— 

the wretched — the heartsick ! 
Succor the slave and the Nation, Thou God of 

our fathers, Almighty! " 
Futile seemed prayers and petitions; the hosts 

of the southland pressed onward, 
Onward and onward they came, their pathway 

was marked with their triumphs. 
Waiting with bated breath, the Nation was 

watching in sorrow. 
Thousands perished in vain, — they fell to succor 

their brothers — 
Brothers in truth before God, — though sold as 

dogs by God's children! 
Liberty claimed them at last, the Nation yearned 

to enfold them, 
Martyrs and heroes would serve them, but died 

on the field or in prison ; 
Crimsoned the sod of the land, — all stained by 

our soldiers that perished, 
Perished for Liberty's sake, for Justice and Truth 

and the Nation ! 
Perished with courage undimmed, with purpose 

firm and unblenching, 
Trusting that One, named Eternal, would aid the 

helpless and wretched. 



PROLOGUE 13 

Dying, they hallowed their country, the land of 
Freedom's pretensions, 

Hallowed the country torn with strife and with 
bitterest hatred. 

Cried their blood loudly for Freedom, for Free- 
dom entire and perfected. 

Bravely they died there and fearless,— knowing 
their Cause was Jehovah's! 

* * =!i >}< * * 

Victory crowned the rebels,— the men that be- 
trayed their brothers, 

Crowned the South,— the traitor, that raised her 
hand 'gainst her Mother ! 

'Gainst her Mother, -her Country, that nourished 
and succored and loved her! 

Matricide, traitor and rebel, she prospered and 
conquered and boasted, — 

Boasted that soon should this Nation lie dead 
and lie powerless before her ! 

****** 

Dark were those days and despairing, dark and 
dreary and hopeless ; 

Northward the hosts of the south were march- 
ing in pride and in vigor ; 

Liberty gazed aghast, at their pathway strewn 
with th€ dying. 

Gazed at the hosts that swarmed in the land of 
just Penn's hills and valleys; 



14 GETTYSBURG 

Swarmed in the State claimed by Freedom, 

where man stood proudly man's equal! 
Marched they in arrogant scorn, to wrest this 

stronghold from Freedom. 
Men to their country's rescue rushed without 

parley or question ; 
Eushed to hurl backward the traitors and rebels 

that fain would destroy them ! 
Waited the land in terror, in terror deep and 

appalling ; 
Waited and prayed and sorrowed; waited in 

hope, — almost hopeless! 
Hung the Nation's life in the balance; if rebels 

conquered 
Distant not far was the ending — treason would 

triumph indeed then ! 
Treason would sever the country, would glory in 

evil and malice. 
Treason triumphant would deal in the barter of 

slaves and their anguish. 
Deal in the woes and the life-blood of souls 

created immortal. 

^ ii- ^ ^ ^ ^ 
Earnestly prayed the Nation. ' ' Jehovah avert 

this disaster; 
Arm us with force and with might, to conquer 

the power of Eebellion, 
Free the slaves, save our Country, 



PROLOGUE 15 

Father, Supreme we implore Thee! " 

^ -^ :)(i ^ ^ ^ 

Thus, dawned the morning historic ; the sun of 

July in the heavens, 
Gazed on the forces opposing, grouped densely 

by roadside and forest. 
Gazed on the Crisis of War, the Crisis 'twixt 

Right and Injustice! 
Liberty hovering near, with limbs heavy chained 

and encumbered 
Girded the souls of the North, filled their hearts 

with a valor immortal ! 
Crucial the time and the hour, — the world was 

watching the contest. 
Victory, bless thou the North! the Nation's de- 
fenders, — and Freedom's! 



II 

The First Day 

Nine, rang the village clock and Gettysburg 
shaking with terror, 

Saw herself compassed by soldiers, by soldiers 
determined and daring; 

Buford's videttes with stern faces, pressed closer 
and closer the rebels. 

Closer, until they had met them! the peaceful 
farm of McPherson 

Blazed with the carnage and slaughter; with 
prophecies grimly foreboding. 

Heth, the Confederate leader, rushed to the aid 
of his soldiers, 

Hurried Archer's brigade to the front, with 
orders resounding; 

Pettigrew, Davis and others, around the Con- 
federates clustered, 

Fighting with zeal high and daring, worthy a 
standard more righteous ; 

Fighting till Buford waxed anxious, his men 
were falling like snowfiakes, 

Holding their own, but hard pressed, no re- 
inforcements to aid them. 

(17) 



18 GETTYSBURG 

Ten struck the village clock; then Eeynolds 

dashed up by the turnpike, 
Up the Chambersburg pike — glanced over the 

field and dashed southward ! 
There met the head of his columns, cheered and 

encouraged and formed them ! 
Hurried them quickly to Buford, still holding 

the field at great hazard. 

^ ^ -^ ^ '^ ■^ 

Eeynolds, the northern hero, courageous and 
noble and manly ! 

Battling 'gainst heavy odds, — he fell, the patriot 
soldier ; 

Fell to the earth maimed and dying; a sharp- 
shooter hid in the branches 

Singled him out for a shot; a minnie-ball sped 
on its errand, — 

Eeynolds lay. dead. Dead almost in sight of his 
home and his loved ones. 

Noble and loyal and true, the type of a man- 
hood pure hearted ; 

Generous, frank and sincere, he died for the 
Cause that he cherished; 

Died for the. country he loved, for the Nation's 
grand preservation ! 

Died for the slave of the South! for Liberty's 
mandate Eternal ! 

Died for his God and his duty ! died on the field 
of grim battle. 



THE FIRST DAY 19 

Sacred is Gettysburg's ground; moistened with 

blood and with tear-drops, 
Every inch holds its tale, — its story of carnage 

and bloodshed; 
Every spot teemeth yet with memories vivid and 

forceful, 
Teemeth with thoughts of that time when life 

was poured freely as water. 
Heaps of the dead and the dying filled trenches 

and hollows and meadows; 
Liberty sprang full-grown, Minerva-like up from 

those trenches. 
Sprang full-statured from Gettysburg's field of 

battle terrific ! 

^; ^ ;{; 5(; ;}; >f; 

Hotter the conflict and hotter! Wadsworth 

slowly fell backward ; 
Archer was prisoner now, but Fortune had flown 

to the rebels; 
Mountain and ridges they held ; — their fire was 

destructive and deadly ! 
Poured their shot down on our men, like hail- 
stones coming from heaven. 
Ever and ever it poured, on Cooper and Stewart 

and Stevens ! 
Poured on their batteries fast, as they sought to 

hold their positions, 
Poured on Rowley in front — on Doubleday's own 

division ; 



20 GETTYSBURG 

Pouring a rain of hell, — a torrent both hot and 

deadly ! 
Staunch stood the boys in blue; still firm and 

unyielding and faithful, 
True to their Country and Cause, though their 

comrades were falling around them. 

;}; ^ * ^ * >i= 

Hark! eleven rang now o'er the town, — o'er 

Gettysburg's meadows. 
Howard dashed quick to the front, from Emitts- 

burg, miles to the southward. 
Saw the First Corps hardly pressed, and sent the 

Eleventh to aid it ! 

■^ -^ -^ ^ ^ -^ 

Waged the fight fiercely for hours, then Stein- 

wehr and Barlow and Osbourne 
Rushed to the aid of our men, to rescue those 

almost exhausted! 
Early and Eodes and Ewell, with Confederate 

forces appalling. 
Hurled themselves down on our soldiers, upon 

our patriots sturdy ; 
Stood the left wing like a wall, before blasts of 

rifle and cannon ! 
Standing like adamant firm, erect and unflinch- 
ing, though hopeless. 
Doubleday, Eobinson, — Wadsworth, in vain 

attempted to save them. 



THE FIRST DAY 21 

Vainly attempted to save them from Pender's 

slaughter appalhng! 
Back to the south they fell, far back to the Hill 

of Eefuge; 
Howard and Steinwehr and Schurz, and Hancock 

commanding the forces, 
Eallied the wearied men, then cheered them, and 

formed them anew there. 



Pour by the village clock; the Eleventh Corps 

and the First Corps, 
Seeing forces gigantic against them, withdrew 

from the battle, 
Waited they, heartsick and faint, for the rebel 

attack that they dreaded, 
Waited and waited and waited, till darkness fell 

down like a pall there ! 
Waited with hearts growing lighter, for the 

rebels passed not their advantage, — 
Pressing not to Culp's Hill as expected; — they 

lingered and parleyed. 
Into the plans of the leaders had come dissension 

and discord, 
Argued and reasoned they long, till God sent His 

Angel of Darkness, — 
Shielding us thus from our foes, protecting the 

Federal Army! 



22 GETTYSBURG 

Swiftly rode Meade to the rescue, — to the field 

of the slain and the wounded, 
Looked with sad face on his soldiers, dying by 

thousands around him. 
Looked on the havoc of War, — on the gaps in 

the files of his army. 
Terror and gloom and foreboding, dropped down 

with the coming of nightfall, — 
Dropping down with the dusk like a pall, — all- 
embracing and gruesome! 
Quick flashed the news to the North, to the 

homes of a people loyal. 
Broken were hearts that night, by the loss of 

husband or lover, 
Broken for loss of a son, — for father, for brother 

for comrade. 
Dark was the morrow's outlook, — dark for the 

Union's defenders, 
Set the tide of the War with the rebels, with 

traitors and treason! 
Patriots prayed for help; with the strength of 

despair were they praying, — 
Looking on heaps of the slain, on corpses all 

mangled and bleeding. 
Heroes gazed sadly around, who to-morrow 

should lie still and lifeless, 
Heroes all ready to die for the country they loved 

and would rescue. 



THE FIRST DAY 23 

Waited our soldiers aghast for the conflict to 
come with the morrow, 

Waited the Nation and people, — waited the home 
and the army, — 

Waiting the Crisis, fearful, to come with the 
ending of battle; 

Waited in anguish, in sorrow, — in dread and in 
horror unuttered, — 

Waited in agony ; — speechless ! Waited the Aw- 
ful To-morrow! 



Ill 

The Second Day 

Quiet came not with the night, the soldiers were 

watchful and restless ; 
Meade was arranging his troops, was choosing 

the places for action ; 
Hancock selected Gulp's Hill, then sent his men 

onward toward Round Top, 
Calling the Fifth Corps and the Twelfth to aid the 

army exhausted. 
Sickles' corps coming up staunchly — as gallant 

as Sickles its leader. 
Strengthened the places yet more, giving courage 

to soldiers despondent ! 
Bravely they toiled through the night, with faith 

and with zeal all undaunted, 
Daylight kissed gently the men — our patriots 

fainting and footsore ! 
Worn by the long, forced march, the Third and 

Twelfth Corps were disabled ; 
Wearied still, the Eleventh and First, by the 

heat of the battle ! 
*' Hasten, oh heaven, our comrades! " the soldiers 

were fervently praying, — 

(25) 



26 GETTYSBURG 

'^ Speed to our succor each corps, the Fifth, the 

Sixth and the Second." 
Listened they sharply in terror, fearing the 

enemy's cannon. 
Miracles only could save them, outnumbered and 

crippled and wearied ! 
Listened they ever in dread, but the hours of the 

morning more onward. 
Batteries belched not their fire, no sound stirred 

the quiet of summer; 
Slowly blazed dawning to noontide, no shot from 

the enemy's rifles! 
Gazing around him intently, Meade saw his 

forces advancing; — 
Joyful the welcome he gave them — they came 

to rescue — to save us ! 
Onward the moments were creeping ; the enemy 

baffled and troubled, 
Fearing to make some mistake, some irretriev- 
able blunder. 
Loitered and wavered uncertain, till three struck 

the clock of the village, — 
Dallied till Sickles, our leader, was ordered to 

change his position ; 
Sickles — who stood in the Orchard, the Peach 

Orchard known well in story — 
Ordered by Meade to withdraw to a place less 

exposed and less daring — 



THE SECOND DAY 27 

Suddenly felt the rain of the enemy pouring up- 
on him, 

Felt the artillery fire of Longstreet faUing upon 
him, 

Raining a torrent deadly, of shot and of shell on 
our soldiers ! 

Infantry, too, in great masses, hurled them- 
selves strongly against us, 

Forming their ranks like a crescent, determined 
and massive and awful ! — 

Mowing our soldiers down, hke grain 'neath the 
blade of the sickle; 

Wilcox and Perry and Wright poured their vol- 
leys against Sickles' angle. 

Meanwhile dashed Hood to the fore, to seize and 
to hold Little Round Top, 

General Ward with his heroes, opposed him with 
courage undaunted. 

Batteries rained down upon them, — upon the 
Den of the Devil, 

Belched and thundered and roared — to shatter 
and weaken our forces ! 

Picture that scene if you can ! the scene 'round 
the Den of the Devil ! 

Tingles each rock to-day, with loyalty, fearless 
and noble; 

Tingles with blood and with groans! with the 
deeds of those hours grown historic. 



28 GETTYSBURG 

Longstreet bore down 'gainst the angle, that 

stood in the fragrant Orchard, 
Training his batteries twelve, to ruin, destroy 

and undo us ! 
Backward and back fell our men, — still fighting 

and falling and cheering, — 
Wounded and dying and fighting, retreated oui* 

heroes to Hancock! 
Mowing our foes with his cannon, Hancock 

guarded and saved them. 
Perry fled back to the rear, but Wright and Wil- 
cox pressed onward, 
Wright pierced the Federal line — God, of the 

Nations, preserve us ! 
Destiny waits on this hour, — the life of our 

Country's at issue! 
Deafening, terrible, fearful, pealed the discharges 

of cannon, 
Eebels were pressing us closely, pressing us hotly 

and fiercely ! 
Into the breach sprang our men, new forces 

were rushing to save us ; 
Humphrey soon rallied his troops, on the crest of 

the hill he had taken, 
Birney assailed on all sides, receded slowly in 

sorrow. 
Sickles wounded and faint was carried away 

from the battle. 
Officers galloping fast, swung their swords with 

clamor resounding, 



THE SECOND DAY 29 

Urging their soldiers again to the field of carn- 
age and slaughter. 

Heroes stood firm to their guns, till the enemy 
pressed to the muzzles, 

Fearful, in truth, the discharges — the volleys of 
grape and of cannon ! 

Eebels were slain by the hundreds, but others 
pressed forward and onward, 

Back fell McGilvery's line — retreating with aw- 
ful discharges ! 

Backward, still back, fell our men, yet fighting, 
retreating and falling ; 

Sweitzer's brigade fell back, — and Tilton's with 
Barnes then commanding, — 

History pales at the hours, — at the thought of the 
Bloody Angle — 

Pales at the thought of the Wheat Field, — that 
terrible Whirlpool of battle ! 

Union and traitor contended, they fought for the 
Wheat Field's possession ; 

Every inch was disputed; every inch was con- 
tested ! 

Crimsoned the grain of the Wheat Field, red- 
dened the soil of the Wheat Field — 

Watered the fatal Wheat Field by blood of our 
heroes immortal! 

Nature in sorrow gazed down — on the Orchard, 
wasted and barren ; 

Gazed on the Wheat Field all trampled ; — gazed 
on the grain steeped in carnage ; 



30 GETTYSBURG 

Gazed on the Wheat Field still reeking; — gazed 
on great heaps of the dying ; 

Gazed on this \^alley of Death I a harvest trans- 
formed as bv demons ! 



Into hell's fury and uproar, fearlessly dashed our 
defenders, 

Unto the Shadow of Death ! their courage bound- 
less and royal! 

Rattled the musketry loud! there was bursting 
of shells, roar of cannon! 

Yelling of devils let loose! the smoke and the 
dust of the battle ! 

Surged the troops backward and forward ; surged 
in confusion and terror. 

Surged the troops ever unyielding; surged like 
the waves of the ocean ! 

Warren dashed down from his post ; seized Yin- 
cent's brigade, and detached it; 

Hurried the men up the mountain; up Little 
Eound Top he hastened ! 

Forward! no loading of rifles! Forward! with 
bayonets swinging! 

Reaching the crest just in time, to save it for 
God and the Union ! 

Onward the enemy dashed, like whirlwinds, to 
capture the mountain! 

Sounded the blasts of their cannon! but Vin- 
cent cheered forward our soldiers. 



THE SECOND DAY 31 

Waving his sword high in air, on a rock leaped 

Vincent, our hero! 
Crying aloud, " Never yield ! " he fell, our 

patriot soldier. 
Gallant, heroic and true, he sacrificed life foi' his 

country ! 
Fiercely the storm waged around him, men 

grappling with men in close struggle! 
Ghastly Death's Carnival awful, a Carnival fate- 
ful and deadly. 
Eolling like billows the smoke, with billows of 

flame was commingled; 
Charges and desperate yells made the field seem 

a battle of demons; 
Steadily rained rebel fire, — a fire all infernal and 

fatal. 
Over the rocks rushed the traitors, — rushed to 

secure Little Round Top, 
Desperate now waxed the battle, but Longstreet 

at last was defeated ! 
Slowly retreated the rebels, slowly but surely 

retreated. 
Leaving our men on the mountain, wounded and 

crippled but joyous ! 
Leaving the flag of the Union in triumph above 

Little Eound Top! 



Softly fell Night from the heavens, to cover the 
wounded and dying. 



32 . GETTYSBURG 

Hiding the mounds of the dead, and stretches of 

Orchard all gory ; 
Covering Wheat Field and Den, with their 

tragedies never recorded. 
Covering Round Top — now ours ! though another 

such triumph would slay us. 
Round Top was won! — but the cost! oh the 

heroes that gallantly perished! 
Thousands and thousands had died; had fallen 

in Gettysburg's trenches. 
Gloomy the outlook that night; uncertain, the 

issue of battle; 
Brooded dark gloom like a bird, — like an ill- 
omened bird o'er the Army, 
Brooded and nestled and hovered, in the hearts 

of the Nation and Army, 
Darkening the souls that were praying, praying 

in grief to Jehovah ! 



IV 
The Third Day 

Actively passed the night; the rebels massed all 

their forces, 
Pickett's division came forward, — near to the 

Federal center, 
Daniel's brigade and O'Neill's reinforced the 

division of Johnson; 
Anderson, Heth and their aids beneath the 

guidance of Ewell, 
Planned to capture Gulp's Hill, of the Baltimore 

Pike take possession ; 
Longstreet, — assisted by Hill, — on the left of 

the Federal center, — 
Planning to dash forth at dawn, had stationed 

his batteries safely. 
Rebel and Northern alike, knew the dawn must 

herald the battle, 
Herald the final conflict! herald the fateful 

struggle ! 
Earnestly labored our men, though wearied and 

wounded and fainting, 
Toihng to fortify Round Top — to make the 

mountain a bulwark ! 

(33) 



34 GETTYSBURG 

Heavy artillery there made the spot as secure as 
Gibraltar, 

Cannon swept all of the field, from the lofty 
summit of Eound Top. 

Geary's division returned from the heat and pur- 
suit of the contest, 

Joining their forces to Green — to Green, the 
strategic soldier. 

Whaler's and Wheaton's brigades and the 
famous brigade of Lockwood 

Stationed themselves by the Twelfth to hold 
that doubtful position ; 

Batteries quickly were placed on every promi- 
nent hillock. 

Fearful the conflict approaching, fearful the ter- 
rible waiting ! 

Liberty's life was in peril, it hung on the issue 
of battle! 

Freedom and Country and Home awaited the 
swift-coming issue. 

Breathless the Nation watched, to-day must de- 
termine her future — 

Dealing a death-blow to treason, or crowning the 
traitors with laurel ! 

Morning dawned terribly soon, ere our men had 

recovered or rested ; 
Five rang the village clock I no loitering, none — 

no delaying; 



THE THIRD DAY 35 

Promptitude only might win, decision only 

might save us! 
Quickly the Federal orders rang over the hills 

and the meadov^s ; 
Waiting no rebel attack, we volleyed forth with 

our cannon ! 
Johnson led Stonewall's brigade, rushing for- 
ward on Geary's division. 
Direful and fatal the slaughter, the deadliest of 

the Eebellion ! 
Sweeping along Slocum's line, the battle drew 

all his division. 
Raging through six dreadful hours — a conflict 

appalling and bloody ! 
Scorning all terror of Death, the rebels rushed 

forward like madmen, 
Hurling themselves on our line, in solid phal- 
anxes coming! 
Yelling like fiends in despair, they charged on 

the Federal forces. 
Slocum's soldiers stood firmly — stood firmly by 

batteries awful, 
Firmly — hke walls of fire, — they mowed the 

rebels by hundreds ! 
Blazed out their cannon for hours, from five till 

eleven that morning ! 
Obstinate — reckless, the rebels ! reckless of death 

and of slaughter! 

Ten by the village clock ! and Johnson slowly 
retreated. 



36 GETTYSBURG 

Slowly withdrew 'neath our fire with the Stone- 
wall Brigade wholly shattered — 

Shattered and wrecked hke the Tigers, who fell 
on the previous evening. 

Fell in that frenzied assault on the Hill they 
dashed upward to capture. 

Slowly retreating before us, they felt the tre- 
mendous discharges, 

Cutting them down by the score, with terrific 
thunder of cannon ! 

Back past our breast- works they went, — reluc- 
tantly, slowly, but surely. 

Mangled and wounded by shells, their corpses 
disfigured and awful. 

Headless and armless they lay, and torn into 
fragments by cannon ; 

Torn into fragments by shells — exploding around 
them, beside them ! 

Broken the Stonewall Brigade by the pow'r of 
the Federal Union, 

Broken the strength of their arm by the might 
of Freedom's defenders! 

Backward the rebels went — left the Federal line 
unbroken ; 

Presently ceased the firing; the village clock 
struck eleven ! 

Awful the silence now I the silence of prepara- 
tion — 



THE THIRD DAY 37 

Lasting througli two anguished hours, — a silence 

horrible, pregnant! 
Over the slain sang the birds, yes over the mead- 
ows and orchards, 
Mingling their melodies sweet with the agonized 

groans of the dying. 
Softly the breezes of summer blew over the 

stretches of carnage. 
Kissing the maimed and the dying, kissing the 

Union and Eebel. 
Sunshine in splendor gleamed down, gleamed 

down on the dead and the dying, 
Oilding the battle-field gory and gilding the 

peaceful meadows ! 
Silence through two pregnant hours; a silence 

more dreadful than cannon, 
Aw^ful and fateful the silence, — appalhng, terrific 

and direful! 

4f •«■ -jf -jf •«• ^^ 

One by the village clock ! Lee massed his artil- 
lery forces. 

Into the woods fchey withdrew, a hundred and 
twenty pieces ! 

Listen ! the silence is broken. The Ridge a sig- 
nal is pealing ; 

Swiftly an uproar terrific burst forth from the 
enemy's cannon. 

Training their fire upon Hancock, sending their 
shells down upon him ! 



38 GETTYSBURG 

Down on the First and the Third, upon the 

Eleventh and Second! 
Eighty the guns, we numbered — eighty Federal 

cannon. 
Eighty alone belched reply and roared the Union 

defiance ! 
Whizzing and Screaming and bursting, the shells 

made confusion appalhng! 
Heaven seemed rent asunder, its batteries crash- 
ing earthward. 
Uproar unequalled in story, unequalled in any 

conflict. 
Prelude, fearful and dreadful, Pickett's prelude 

o ' er whelming — 
Pickett's artillery prelude, his infantry charge 

to herald ! 
Deafening, maddening din ! and lasting without 

intermission, 
Lasting for two endless hours, while shells were 

constantly falling; 
Shrieking and whirling and moaning, they 

whistled and wrathfully fluttered. 
Splintering rocks and trees, and blowing horses 

to atoms; 
Furrowing hollows and ledges, — bursting over 

our soldiers, 
Heroes in Federal blue were torn into shapeless 

pieces ; 
Every species of shell was whirling over our 

army; 



THE THIRD DAY 39 

Orchestra frightfully grand, a tempest of 
orchestra fearful ! 

Boundmgand skipping and racing — chasing and 
hissing and moaning 

Dashed the shells on through detachments, scat- 
tering Death in their pathway. 

Heavy the air with dust, with sulphurous fumes 
of the cannon, 

Death with pinions out-spread was brooding over 
the armies, 

Brooding over those fields and holding a Festival 
awful. 



Suddenly ceased the firing, the horrible cannon- 
ading. 

Lasting through two deadly hours, it suddenly 
sank into silence. 

Quiet again for a space, for the lapse of some 
thirty minutes ! 

Rapidly formed the rebels, in double lines speed- 
ily forming. 

Pouring from woods and from hollows, out from 
ravines and from valleys ! 

Pickett's division was ready, the flow'r of the 
rebel army, 

Ready to charge up the Hill, to dare the Federal 
rifles. 

Kemper's and Garnett's brigades stood first in 
the line quickly forming, 



40 GETTYSBURG 

Eeady to dare and to die, determined to follow 

Pickett, 
Eeady to follow Lee's orders, though knowing 

the venture was hopeless, 
Knowing defeat and disaster must follow the 

charge from the hollow. 
Out from the wooded crest, moving swift toward 

the Federal center, 
Steadily poured the lines, three massive lines of 

the rebels — 
Thousands and thousands of rebels! fifteen 

thousand they numbered 
Moving grandly across, a column imposing and 

stately ; 
Moving along toward our men and barely a half- 
mile from them, — 
Pickett and Pettigrew — Lane — and Scales' and 

Wilcox's forces. 
Crashyd on their ears the thunder of cannon 

they thought they had silenced. 
Crashing out doom and destruction, tearing the 

rebels to pieces — 
Crashing came Union shot, then shells, then 

canister charges 
Coming from Northern guns, — from guns they 

imagined disabled! 
Deathly the pathway before them; the rebels 

paused not nor retreated, 
Steadily dashing onward, onward to hell and de- 
struction. 



THE THIRD DAY 41 

Forth from the summit of Round Top, poured 
Federal batteries on them — 

Little Round Top rained shells, rained shells on 
the enemy coming. 

Howard, from the Hill, turned his guns upon the 
rebels advancing; 

Ploughed were their ranks, through and through 
— but on they rushed yelling hke demons ! 

Twenty thousand of muskets blazed on them 
with frightful slaughter — 

Furious, deadly, the greeting, the greeting from 
Northern rifle. 

Volley and volley of grape from Federal guns 
double-shotted, 

Raining lead on the foe — on the foe still reck- 
lessly coming! 

Armistead cheered on the rebels, dashing ruth- 
lessly forward. 

Pressing our men back before him — seizing a 
Federal cannon! 

Waved the Confederate banner, over the Union 
army. 

Reached was the high water-mark — the high 
water-mark of Rebellion! 



Gushing, Gibbon, and Webb repulsed the south- 
ern invaders. 

Gushing, the dauntless, fell dead — both Gibbon 
and Webb being wounded — 



42 GETTYSBURG 

Wounded, but Armistead fell — fell dead on the 
spot of his triumph. 

Never would traitor press further, — broken the 
pow'r of Rebellion! 

Shielded by stonewall and copse our soldiers 
rained bullets upon them. 

Hall and two regiments gallant rushed on the 
rebel invaders; 

Hotly the conflict was raging, the Union muskets 
touched rebels ! 

Conflict infernal, terrific ! the last and the dead- 
liest struggle! 



Pickett looked down from the Ridge — from the 

Ridge he briefly was holding ; 
Saw the Federals rushing upon him — resist- 

lessly, breathlessly rushing. 
Rebels were fighting with stones, — clubbed 

muskets, banner-staves, — rammers! 
Pettigrew's forces fell back — his men had sur- 
rendered in masses ; 
Pettigrew, weeping, despairing, hopelessly, sadly,, 

retreated. 
Leaving two thousand of soldiers, prisoners- 

there of the Union, — 
Leaving a score of flags, of bat tie- flags there by 

our ramparts ! 
Regiments hurled down their arms and Pickett 

lost half of his soldiers. 



THE THIRD DAY 43 

Fifty guns hurling our fire just three times a 
minute upon them ! 

Blazed out the Hill with flame, like Sinai thun- 
dering, smoking — 

Thundering newly God's wrath, God's wrath 
from our Sinai loudly. 

Bayonet thrusts, sabre strokes and pistol shots 
loudly were ringing — 

Curses and yells and oaths, hurrahs and shout- 
ings and groanings. 

Spinning like tops fell the men, and gulping up 
blood in their death-throes. 

Seconds were centuries then! but the rebels were 
surely retreating — 

Minutes seemed ages to us, but the rebels sur- 
rendered their colors ! 

Fleeing over the field, all broken and shattered 
— defeated ! 

Fleeing over the field so thickly covered with 
clover, 

Covered with clover and blood and ghastly heaps 
of the dying. 

Nine brigades had gone forth to rout the Federal 
forces. 

Mangled and shattered and wrecked they fled 
from the red field of carnage. 

Long-street's soldiers fell back — the assault of 
Pickett was fatal. 



4:4- GETTYSBURG 

Sweeping past Runimel's place, fled Stuart from 
our cavalry charges. 

Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee fled from the 
charges of Custer. 

Grandly our cavalry fought, yes grandly and 
fiercely and bravely ! — 

Forcing the enemy back — back into Gettys- 
burg's forests, — 

Won was the field from the traitors, our cavalry 
halted in triumph ! 

Holding the field all the night, Gregg watched 
with his cavalry forces, 

Honor and laurels to them — oar cavalry — gal- 
lant defenders ! 



Evening was drawing upon us ; there came the 

last charge of the battle ; 
Shielded by forests and copse the rebels fired 

constantly on us. 
Ordered by Meade, the Eeserves dashed forward 

with Colonel McCandless ; 
Into the forests they dashed, the Confederates 

fleeing before them ! 
Backward the rebels retreated, back for a mile to 

the southward, 
Glorious, brilliant, the charge, the charge so gal- 
lant and fearless ! 
Won was the fateful battle, won for our God and 

the Union! 
L.cfC. 



THE THIRD DAY 45 

Gettysburg's field was ours, but the price of our 

triumph was fearful. 

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 

Slowly the sun sank to rest above the stretches 

of carnage, 
Over huzzas of the North, above the despair of 

the rebels! 
God of the Nations be praised, for Justice and 

Freedom have triumphed ! 
Triumphed in tears and in sorrow, but triumphed 

over the traitors ! 
Victory's garments are stained by the blood of 

the pathwa}^ trodden ; 
Victory clasping Grief, is weeping over the 

dying!— 
Weeping for heroes, for voices eternally silenced, 
Weeping for patriots noble. Sorrow and Victory 

meeting — 
Meeting after the battle, above the stretches of 

slaughter, 
Meeting over the slain, and over the mounds of 

the dying! 



V 

Epilogue 

Justice forever must triumph since God is the 
Lord of the Heavens, 

Triumph o'er greed and o'er mahce, o'er enemie& 
powerful and subtle ! 

Hurled from a throne to a dungeon, her fetters 
are speedily broken. 

Solemnly Justice comes forth, her grand resur- 
rection proclaiming, 

Coming from out of the Valley from out of the 
Valley and Shadow. 

Evil beholds her in terror, — her enemy cruelly 
tortured ! 

Evil beholds her regnant, her countenance 
peaceful, majestic! 

Claiming her throne with command, with com- 
mand — imperious, stately ! 

Swiftly clutching her robes, glides Evil into the 
Darkness, 

Justice returns to her own, to the scepter she 
righteously wieldeth ! 

Eeigneth God ever and always! His Justice is 
sure and eternal; 

(47) 



48 GETTYSBURG 

Tarry it may for a while, when men are wilful 
and cruel, 

Yet, with the morning it cometh! God's Jus- 
tice sent earthward from Heaven ; 

Mortals are pow'rless to slay it, although they 
fetter and bind it I 

Justice will gain her dominion, — will reign and 
triumph and conquer ! 

Slowly the sun of July rose after the battle 

terrific, 
Rose on the Fourth of July, on the day of our 

Independence! 
Rose on the birthday of Freedom, with radiance 

keener and brighter, 
Yielding the day greater luster, a luster holier, 

purer ! 
Griving the slaves their birthright, giving the 

slaves Independence; 
Wrested from treason their yoke, and broken the 

chains of their bondage. 
Gettysburg witnessed their triumph, witnessed 

the birth of their Freedom. 
Doubly we honor that day, we honor our Na- 
tion's birthday. 
Fourth, all-glorious, hail! ye heralded joy to the 

bondmen ! 
Memories sacred and dear, shall cluster around 

you forever. 



EPILOGUE 49 

Day of all days in this Nation, — the Dawning 
and Noontide of Freedom! 

-X- -jf ^ -jf * -H- 

Wearily passed the night, in grief and in sorrow 
surpassing, 

Union and Rebel ahke, lamented the brave who 
had fallen; 

Mourning the heroes grand, and mourning the 
soldiers so dauntless. 

Morning wore slowly to noontide; Nature had 
shaded her features. 

Grieving over the dead and over the picture be- 
fore her; 

Heavily fell her tears, the rain falling down on 
the dying. 

Falling on wounded and dead and hiding the 
blood of the battle ; 

\¥ashing the blood from the Orchard, from 
Wheat-field and mountain and valley, 

Steadily, heavily falling till streams were swol- 
len to torrents ; 

Nature had hidden her face, lamenting over the 
carnage. 

* -jf * * * * 

Rebels — terrified wholly, — without ammunition, 

— despairing. 
Silently, stealthily left — withdrawing beyond 

the Potomac! 



50 ' GETTYSBURG 

Won was the Cause of the Union, won for our 
Country and Freedom ; 

Loosened the bonds of the slave, the cords of 
his serfdom all broken ! 

Broken the might of the Eebels, — disabled, dis- 
heartened and shattered, — 

Kindled the Union anew, with hope and with 
courage unbounded ! 

Gettysburg, heavy with fate, on thee was Des- 
tiny hanging. 

Hanging upon thy issue, upon the end of thy 
battle!' 



Freedom victorious, boundless, proclaimed that 

men were all equal, — 
Equal the planter and slave; yes, equal, before 

our Country ! 
Right must evermore triumph since Right is the 

Cause of Jehovah ; 
Nerves He the arm of the weak, and His Spirit 

gives valor immortal. 
Gettysburg's Cause was the Lord's — the slaves 

were His trusting children — 
Out of that terrible field He brought their human 

redemption. 



'^' ^U ii^UZ 



